When Palomar College opens its new $24 million performing arts complex next fall, one item that’s not in the budget, but very much in the dreams of the college’s administrators, is a new Concert Grand Steinway piano for the stage of the renovated Howard Brubeck Theatre.

The budget doesn’t allow for the top-of-the-line, $125,000 instrument, so members of the Performing Arts Circle have embarked on a fundraising campaign that included a well-attended event April 13 at The Grand Tradition in Fallbrook.

The Peter Gach Steinway Committee — named for the college’s longtime artist in residence who retired last year after 31 years on the music faculty — hosted “Festival!” which added $19,000 to the piano campaign fund.

“We’re very pleased with the monetary increase to the Steinway fund, but we are equally as pleased with the heightened awareness of this fundraising effort,” said Norma Miyamoto, co-chair of the Steinway committee and dean of Arts, Media, Business and Computer Science at the San Marcos-based community college. “The Festival allowed us to showcase our extraordinary student and faculty talent and make our need known throughout the community.”

Miyamoto said the Gach committee is so confident it will meet its goal, there is already an empty, specially designed reinforced stage box that’s exactly the size needed for a 9-foot concert grand piano.

“We want to fill that box and our center stage with the best instrument for our students,” she said. “The Steinway concert grand will be used for student recitals, accompanying singers and choirs, and concertos with ensembles such as the symphony orchestra, our two jazz ensembles and our wonderful concert band. It will give our performing arts students a quality instrument to match the beautifully designed facility under construction.”

More than 125 people attended the April 13 event, which began with a cocktail hour during which guests could stroll through the gardens to see and hear performances by students in Palomar’s performing arts program. This included singers, musicians, dancers and the theatrical trio of Bruce Blackwell, David Pinson and Jaysen Waller, who have presented the popular comedy “The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged)” at Palomar several times over the years.

There was also a silent auction with opportunities to bid on performing arts experiences and blown glass and other art objects created and donated by Palomar students.

After a catered dinner, Gach performed a piano concert with vocal accompaniment by Ann Chase.

So far, $33,000 has been raised toward the cost of the new piano. Gach, who is co-chairing the Steinway committee, said that he’s hoping a major donor will step forward.

“There may be a special friend out there, just waiting to help us reach our goal soon,” he said.

The event was sponsored by SoCal Pianos of San Marcos and Consulting and Inspection Services, run by President Kent Schafer.

Among those in attendance were Palomar College Superintendent/President Bob Deegan and his wife, Pam; President Emeritus Dr. George Boggs and his wife, Ann, who is a member of the Steinway Committee; Rich Talmo, executive director of the Palomar College Foundation; former dean of Arts, Media, Business and Computer Science, Pat Schwerdtfeger and his wife, Jana; lead architect on the complex, Kevin Carpenter, with Architects Mosher Drew; Interim Dean Dan Sourbeer and his wife, Diana; Interim Dean Judy Cater and her husband, Jack; Palomar arts faculty members Molly Faulkner, Ellen Weller, Madelyn Byrne and Patriceann Mead; and part-time faculty Lynn Kuhns, Bob Weller and Ken Imaizumi, as well as Ken Bell, who was master of ceremonies.